Out and proud: 7 beauty brands celebrating the LGBT community

By Sarah Parsons | Published: 8-May-2019

Prepare for a month of extravaganza this June, with beauty launches serving Pride realness

June is just around the corner and that means it is soon time to grab the glitter and rainbow flags as parties hit the streets in honour of Pride month.

As well as the annual celebration, 2019 seems to be the year of LGBT-focused brands, with a growing number embracing the diverse community.

Even the Met Gala – featuring one of the world’s most anticipated extravagant red carpets – was dubbed a “celebration of fashion’s Gay history” by unveiling the dress code ‘Camp: Notes on Fashion’.

Whether it’s make-up designed for the transgender community, fundraising for LGBT causes or a RuPaul’s Drag Race star sashaying onto the cosmetics stage, here’s a round-up of beauty’s most out and proud brands and collabs…


1. Ciate London x Courtney Act

Out and proud: 7 beauty brands celebrating the LGBT community

RuPaul’s Drag Race runner-up Courtney Act, aka Shane Gilberto Jenek, partnered with Ciaté London to release a new Stamp & Drag Liner to help beauty fans perfect their winged eyeliner.

The 36-year-old Australian native appeared on the show during season six in 2014 but rose to stardom after competing on Australian Idol in 2003.

Since then, Jenek has appeared on a number of TV shows under his stage name, including Celebrity Big Brother, and is due to host his own bisexual dating show.

RRP £15

2. Jecca Blac

Out and proud: 7 beauty brands celebrating the LGBT community

Unisex colour cosmetics brand Jecca Blac announced a brand relaunch and collaboration with non-binary YouTuber Joseph Harwood.

Formerly known as Jecca Makeup, the brand was founded in 2017 by then 21-year-old freelance make-up artist Jessica Blackler.

As well marketing her products as unisex, Blackler targets her products at the transgender community and offers one-to-one make-up tutorials for trans consumers.

The brand’s new Sculpt & Soften Palette features a matte and creamy dark bronze shade to ‘sculpt’ and a lighter tone for highlighting.

RRP £30

3. Sleek MakeUP x Miss Fame

Out and proud: 7 beauty brands celebrating the LGBT community

Another RuPaul’s Drag Race alumni, Miss Fame from season seven, became the face of make-up collaboration in recent months.

Sleek MakeUP partnered with the performance artist to create two Gloss Impact shades, a liquid eyeliner, pencil eyeliner and highlighter palette.

Born Kurtis Dam-Mikkelsen, Miss Fame described the products as able to “create a striking look that is accessible for everyone”.

RRP £20

4. Fluide Cosmetics

Out and proud: 7 beauty brands celebrating the LGBT community

The self-proclaimed beauty brands for “skin tones and gender expressions”, the US indie donates a percentage of sales to charities specialising in the LGBTQ health and advocacy.

Founded by Laura Kraber and Isabella Giancarlo, the entrepreneurs prove that gender-neutral doesn’t have to be boring.

Instead of sleek monochrome packaging with neutral shades, the brand showcases its glitter and holographic formulas.

Meanwhile, the on-trend social media presence uses models with “unsightly” body hair and largely underrepresented groups.

RRP US$12

5. MAC Cosmetics

Out and proud: 7 beauty brands celebrating the LGBT community

A long standing brand activist for AIDS and HIV awareness, Estée Lauder Companies-owned MAC Cosmetics’ charity arm Viva Glam turns 25 this year.

To celebrate the anniversary, MAC has looked back to the first face of the campaign (you’ve guessed it) RuPaul, with model of the moment Winnie Harlow replicating the ad series.

On top of that, the make-up brand has named singer Troye Sivan as the face of its Glam For Acceptance initiative.

The full RRP of every Viva Glam lipstick purchased is donated to organisations supporting LGBT issues. To date, the campaign has raised more than $500m.

RRP £17.50

6. Dragun Beauty

via Instagram/@dragunbeauty

via Instagram/@dragunbeauty

US vlogger Nikita Dragun accumulated millions of social media followers for documenting her journey as a transgender woman.

But this Spring, the mega-influencer blossomed into beauty to launch Dragun Beauty – one of the few labels owned by a member of the transgender community.

In the works for over 12 months, the brand debuted with complexion products housed in crystal-laden purple eggs.

The first is DragunFire Skin Perfection Potion, designed to conceal dark circles and blemishes, and the other is the DragunHeart TRANSformation Face Powder to brighten the skin.

RRP from $25

7. A final word from RuPaul…

Promo for RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars Season 3

Promo for RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars Season 3

After four decades in show business, RuPaul – the world’s most famous drag queen – has partnered with Mally Beauty to launch his first major cosmetics line.

However, beauty fans will have to wait a while, as the brand’s ten to 12-sku capsule collection is yet to confirm a release date.

“I had actually known that many people had reached out to him to create a collaboration, but he said he would never do it,” explained Mally Roncal, founder of Mally Beauty.

“We crossed our fingers and our toes, and got the news that he wanted to do it back. It was literally one of the best days ever.”

If that wasn’t enough, another RuPaul’s Drag Race contestant, Trixie Mattel, has teased an upcoming make-up brand.

RRP TBC


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